History of Garage Doors: Part 1
The history of garage doors: Part 1 is a series of posts dedicated to educating the public on garage doors. A typical version of an garage door used in the past would have been built as a one-piece panel. The panel was mounted on each side with unequal parallelogram style hinge lifting mechanism. The weight of the door may be 400 lb or more. The spring system balances the garage door. A remote controlled motorized mechanism for opening garage doors adds convenience, safety, and security.
The history of the garage door dates to 450 B.C. when chariots were stored in gatehouses. However, in the United States they arose around the start of the 20th century. As early as 1902, American manufacturers published catalogs featuring a “float over door”. A catalog form 1906 advertised an upward-lifting garage door.
Material
A common material for a new garage door is steel. Also stamped to look like a raised panel wooden door. Non-insulated, insulated, and double skin steel are the types of doors available. A design mimicking carriage house doors has become popular since early 2000’s. Many manufacturers clad the exterior of a steel door with composite, vinyl boards, or other trim to give it the look of wood.
- Aluminum garage doors are low-cost, light, rust-proof, and feature low-maintenance. They are prone to denting because aluminum is not strong and they are energy-inefficient. Because aluminum is a highly conductive material.
- Fiberglass and vinyl garage doors are composite units, combining a steel core behind a fiberglass or vinyl skin. They have also polyurethane insulated base sections, or other type of foam insulation. These premium doors can match steel garage doors, and be a realistic imitation of wood (namely fiberglass units), but they may be more expensive than steel units.
- Steel doors have become common and are available in a variety of sizes and styles. Steel provide strength and security, are cost-competitive, and may have optional insulating value. Extra strength with two or three layers of galvanized steel with a low gauge number (0.6 – 0.7 mm steel panels).
- Wood garage doors offer curb appeal.